VOL. I. A RELIGIOUS AND LITERARY JOURNAL. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, SEVENTH DAY, ELEVENTH MONTH, 3, 1827. BY JOHN RICHARDSON, Corner of Carpenter and Seventh Street, PHILADELPHIA. Price Two Dollars per annum, payable in advance. witchcraft, and predict fortunate events by inspect FOR THE FRIEND. life, and gain a livelihood by washing or searching for gold in the beds of rivers; those in the Bannat of Hungary are horse dealers, and are gradually obeying the enactments of Joseph II., by which they are compelled to cultivate the land; but the great majority in Europe abhor a permanent residence and stated hours of labour. The women abuse the credulity of the German and Polish peasants, who imagine that they cure their cattle by ing the lineaments of the hand. Many individuals of both sexes, particularly throughout Hungary, are passionately fond of music, the only science in which they have as yet attained any degree of perfection; they are the favourite minstrels of the country people; some have arrived at eminence in The eleventh number of the Boston edition of cathedrals, and in the choirs of princes. Their Malte-Brun's Geography, just published, contains guitar is heard in the romantic woods of Spain, and a curious and interesting account of that wander- many gypsies, less indolent than the indolent ing tribe of people, who are found under different Spaniards, exercise in that country the trade of appellations dispersed through every country in publicans. They follow willingly whatever occuEurope, and to whom in England, some imper-pation most men hate or condemn; in Hungary and fect traditions of their History have assigned the Transylvania they are flayers of dead beasts, and name of Egyptians, or Gypsies. From that work executioners of criminals-the mass of the nation and other authentic sources, we have compiled the is composed of thieves and mendicants. following sketch of this singular race. THE GYPSIES. "The total number of these savages in Europe has never been considered less than 300,000, or than 150,000 in Turkey, 70,000 in Wallachia and Moldavia, 40,000 in Hungary and Transylvania, the rest are scattered in Russia, Prussia, Poland, Germany, Jutland, Spain, and other countries. Persia and Egypt are infested with them; they have ap"The historical traditions concerning the tribe, are reduced to the vague recollection of an ancient and happy people under princes of their own race, that inhabited a country which, according to the doubtful assertion of a writer of the fifteenth century, the first Zigeunes called Little Egypt. It is also affirmed that when they first appeared, they were conducted in their migrations by dukes, princes, and even by kings. 'All the knowledge de. rived from their history is that they have wandered for many ages. No trace of their worship or religious belief, if they have any, can be discovered. They follow the customs of the countries in which they reside. During the early part of the fifteenth century, the | attention of various nations in Europe was first attracted by a tribe of people, different in appearance and manners from the established inhabitants, and speaking a language peculiar to themselves. None could account for their origin; nor could the route by which they had been introduced be traced. With-peared in Spanish America. out a home, without a country, and without religion, "They have wandered through the world, and in every religion, and among every people, they have continued equally unchanged by the lapse of time, the variation of climate, and the force of ex- | ample. Their singular physiognomy and manners are the same in every country. Their complexion receives no darker shade from the burning sun of Africa, or any fairer tint from the milder climates of Europe. They contract no additional laziness in Spain; they acquire no habits of industry in England. In Turkey, they behold the mosque and the crescent with the same indifference that they look on a catholic or protestant church in Europe. In the neighbourhood of civilized life, they continue barbarous, and near cities and settled inhabitants, they live in tents and holes in the earth, or wander from place to place like fugitives and vagabonds." These people are lively, fickle and faithless to every one, even to their own cast, addicted to sensuality, and, like savages, indifferent about the choice of their food. If an ox die of disease, and they can obtain its carcass, men, women and children hasten to the feast, and after their brandy or strong drink is exhausted, they pursue their journey, or take up their quarters for the night. The women may be distinguished by their dark and sparkling eyes, tanned complexion, oval visage, white teeth and jet-black hair. They deal in wanton dances and fortune telling. The mother trains her daughter in vice, and the daughter is scarcely grown before she follows the example of her mother. Although their clothes hardly hang together, a stranger perceives sometimes part of a military coat, the fragment of a lace cap, a torn handkerchief or paltry trinket; their gait and deportment, when thus adorned, evince a more than ordinary share of vanity. "The wandering tribe of Zigeunes find occupation in some countries as smiths and tinkers; they mend broken plates, and sell wooden ware; a class of them in Moldavia and Wallachia lead a settled "The only information which can be obtained concerning them must be founded on the nature of their language; but the dialect of such a tribe, it may be supposed, is made up of the cant terms of beggars and pickpockets, or not unlike the rothwelsch of the German banditti, or the jargon of the Kataphiani, the itinerant physicians in Turkey. Such, however, is not the case, and a people with. out a country, an asylum, laws or religion, speak a regular language, furnished with grammatical forms." And though it has necessarily undergone many changes, from their successive migrations, it still contains many affinities with a dialect of particular castes in Hindostan. This fact receives the stronger corroboration from having been first recognised by some young men, natives of the coast of Malabar, who were prosecuting their studies at Leyden. Numerous expressions were compared by them, and the same has since been carried to a greater extent by literary men residing in India. "The Hindoo character of their language, their physical qualities, and the name of Sinte by which they are often called, are strong arguments in favour of the hypothesis, that the Zigeunes are one of the low Indian castes expelled from their country, by some great political revolution, and in consequence of that event, now accustomed and habituated to a wandering life. NO. 3. "Several writers have attempted to ascertain the period of their migrations, and the region which they formerly inhabited. The devastations committed in India by Tamerlane, about the year 1400, afford a plausible pretext for their flight. It may too be kept in view that their country should be sought in the western part of India, near the banks of the Indus or the Sinde. Pallas infers from their dialect that their ancient country is Moultan, and their origin, the same as that of the Hindoo merchants at present at Astrakhan. Bartolomeo believes they came from Guzurate, perhaps from the neighbourhood of Tatta, where a horde of pirates called Tchinganes still reside. Lastly, Richardson boasts of having found them among the Bazigurs, a wandering tribe of minstrels and dancers. If it be necessary to trace their descent from the inferior Hindoo castes, none in our opinion resemble the Zigeunes more than a tribe of the Soudras, or the Correvas, who have no fixed abode, but lodge in tents; they live by selling baskets or mending kettles, and their women gain money by fortune-telling. Such employments are descriptive of the gypsies. "Few objections of any importance can be raised against the general hypothesis, but the details connected with it are not so easily explained. Thus if the Zigeunes were Parias, they might in all probability have been the objects of Tamerlane's persecution, but it is not less likely that they would at once have professed Islamism as they now do in Turkey. If they were Tchinganes, the ingenious supposition may be admitted that they filed by sea and arrived in Egypt; but it is necessary to account for the change in their character: these warlike pirates are now mendicants and poltroons. If the Zigeunes were originally a branch of the Soudras or the Banians from Moultan, how happens it that no trace of their superstition is left? If it be answered that the Carrewas and other low castes were as ignorant and as wretched as the Parias, then it must be shown why people so obscure were expelled from a country in which their neighbours and equals were permitted to remain. 66 Another objection of a more general kind may be urged against the supposition that the Zigeunes migrated from Indostan about the year 1400. Numerous and thickly scattered hordes inhabited Wallacha, Hungary and Poland, in the year 1433, while only a few detached bands appeared in Persia, Turkey, and Caucasus. "The celebrated M. Hasse, the author of a different hypothesis, has proved that for the last 3000 years there have been in Europe wandering tribes that bore the names of Segynes or Zigeunes, and Sinties or Sinti; the same writer considers the mo dern gypsies, the Zigeunes or Sintis, the descendants of these ancient hordes. A Polish geogra. pher, M. Lelewel, has clearly shown that Hindoo nations have been settled since the dawn of history on the shore of the Cimmerian Bosphorus and in Europe, particularly in Thrace. The merits of both these sytems may be shortly examined. "A tribe, whose name was almost the same as that of the Zigeunes, is mentioned in the most ancient profane history. The Sigynes, who resemble the Medes in their dress, live on the north side of the Ister (Danube,) in a country which seems to be desert, at least they are the only inhabitants of whom I have received any information. They have little horses with long hair, which are not strong enough to carry men, but able to draw cars with great rapidity. Their frontiers extend to those of the Heneti, a people on the Adriatic. They call themselves a colony of Medes, a point concerning which I cannot decide, though it may be true, if we make allowance for the lapse of ages. The Ligurians give the name of Sigynes to travelling merchants, the Cyprians to javelins or spears. Such is the testimony of the father of profane history. Strabo describes a people bearing the name of Siginii, and inhabiting the Hyrcanian mountains on the south side of the Caspian Sea. They resembled the Persians in their manners, and had little horses with long hair, not fit for riding, but useful in drawing chariots.' In the Argonautics of Apollonius the Sigynnæ are placed at the mouth of the Danube, and in the poems ascribed to Orpheus, in Pontus. "Sufficient evidence of their ancient migrations manuscripts that the name of that region is Indica; jects of the Romans; they might have wandered feet, and swear perpetual peace with their COMMUNICATION. Padua, the municipal authorities came out to meet him at many leagues' distance, and conducted him in triumph into the city, seated on the sacred car. The assembled populace heard with transport, "the preaching of the peace," and applauded those reconciliations, which effaced on the instant, the animosities of years. Thus he visited, with uniform success, the principal cities of Lombardy, every where reconciling enemies, and every where hailed as the "healer of breaches." The "The preaching of the Peace." In the early part of the 13th century, the Italian republics were involved in a series is afforded by their settlements in these three distant countries. The description of their horses corof civil wars, the immediate causes of which responds with that of the same animal in Baskiria are now lost in obscurity. So frequent, inand on the plains of Scythia. We cannot determine deed, had been these appeals to arms, and whether the Caucasian Zingi of Pliny, or the In- so familiarized were men to violence and dian Singe of the same author, were not different bloodshed, that cotemporary historians did not as to their origin from the Zigeunes or Zinganes; Nor was it in the republican or if any traces of these ancient and errant tribes deem it necessary to do more, than indicate existed in Cappadocia, and in the town of Zingana. their occurrence, without assigning their mo- towns only, that he was received in this "Different hordes of the same people are pro- tives, or informing us of their results. The character. The nobles submitted their difbably descended from the Sindi or Sinti, the for- animosity of the two great parties, which ferences with equal confidence to his arbimer inhabitants of Sindica, a country near the Cim- had for centuries divided the Italian states tration, and the whole population of Lommerian Bosphorus. It is supposed from the ancient into Guelfs and Gibelines, was at that pe- bardy, prepared to assist at a solemn assemthe words Sind, Hind and Ind are almost synony- riod, at its height. Two contending clai- bly, which he had convoked in the plain of mous, and generally confounded by orientalists. mants of the imperial throne, had recently Paquarra, on the banks of the Adige. Never Hesychius reconciles at all events the opinions of made that unhappy country the seat of war; had a nobler enterprise been undertaken, the ancients, and calls the Sindi an Indian peo- while the ambitious priests who filled suc- (such is the remark of M. Sismondi, whose ple. The traditions concerning the commerical industry of these tribes, their cowardice, their sub-cessively, for short periods, the pontifical relation of this extraordinary passage we mitting to the lash of Scythian masters, the prosti- chair, unmindful of the paternal character follow,) than that of reconciling twenty initution of their women, whose name became a term which they had assumed, incited to new mical states, by the mere inspiration of reof reproach, are so many proofs of their common contests, a people addicted to strife, and un-ligious sentiments, by the simple influence origin with the Zigeunes or Sinties of the present governable in their resentment. Added to of Christianity-by the unaided power of day. Different branches of the same people were these exciting causes, was the jealousy language. Never had a grander spectacle scattered throughout Macedonia, a country in which we observe a Sintic district, and in Lemnos, which existed between the nobles and citi-been presented to the eyes of men. where the Sinties were the workmen of Vulcan, Zens, producing in many instances bloody entire populations of Verona and Mantua, of such employment is still the chief occupation of commotions, which, whether resulting in Brescia and Padua, and of eight other of the Zigeunes. the exclusion of the nobles from participa- the principal cities of Lombardy, surround"The Sinties and Sigynnii are not the only Asia- tion in the government, or in their usurpa- ed their respective magistrates, assembled tic people dispersed in Europe, or on its confines. tion of supreme authority, left the seeds of under their national standards, while a The Scythians of the royal tribe were Medes by birth; a knowledge of their language may enable suspicion and hatred, to engender new dis- numerous company of bishops and of nobles as to explain the ancient geographical names of sentions, violent and interminable. In appeared at the head of their vassals. From Scythia. The opinion of D'Anville concerning the Lombardy, all these causes existed in their a lofty seat, elevated in the midst of the Tartar origin of the Geta is now generally reject- most aggravated form, and operated, per- plain, the voice of the preacher, assisted, it ed; it is expected that ere long additional information may be obtained from the researches of M. de haps, with not the less effect, that the fa- was said, by supernatural interposition, was Saint Martin on the European India of the Armemous Lombardy League, formed at a junc- distinctly heard by every individual of that nian writers. It is known that the lower Danube ture when they were menaced by the Impe- vast assemblage, and might well seem to was anciently called Matous; a name supposed to rial Arms, had restrained for a time, the their heated imaginations to descend from have been derived from the Indian hero, Madhou, violence of passions which it could not sup- heaven. His text was the affecting lan. the antagonist of Krischna, or from the word mad. hur, which signifies fresh water. Scylax mentions press. At this period, a number of Domi- guage of the Redeemer, "My peace I give the town of Aigypsos, Ovid calls it Aigyptos, and nican monks, whose unhappy office it had unto you-my peace I leave with you." adds that it was founded by a Caspian on the delta been to arouse the populace to the persecu- With an eloquence till then unknown, he of the Danube; from that place, in all probability, tion of the unfortunate Albigenses, bethought drew a frightful picture of the miseries of the Zigeunes obtained the title of Egyptians or themselves of an employment more worthy war; he described the spirit of christianity, Gypsies. The existence of the Indi in Asia Minor of their religion, and commenced those ex- as a spirit of peace, proclaimed the authois attested in the history of the Machabees, and ercises, which were long known in Italy, as rity of the Holy See, with which he was completely proved in a different work. "The preaching of the peace. Severe in invested, and in the name of God, and of "It may be concluded from these detached facts, that tribes of the Hindoo race have been wan- their morals, and practised in austerities, the church, he commanded the Lombards to dering or settled in Europe or its confines from the they had acquired a reputation for sanctity, renounce their enmities. He dictated to earliest historical age. It is for the historian and ori- well fitted to promote their laudable designs. them a treaty of universal pacification, which entalist to examine how they came thither, whether Among those engaged in this noble under- was to be cemented by the union of families they migrated in an age of which no record is left, or were the enemies of Khrisna, a supposition that taking, no one was more distinguished than once inimical, and devoted to everlasting He commenced his malediction, those who should violate this might explain their singular pretension of having John, of Vicencia. formerly rejected Christ, or if they were a branch preaching, at Bologne, in 1233, with emi-peace, calling down mortal disease upon of the Hindowan Berber, that Schah Namé places in nent success. The citizens, the neighbour- their flocks, and dooming to hopeless sterithe hyperborean regions, or colonies transported ing peasants, and especially the soldiers, lity, their vineyards and their cornfields. from the Indus by the despots of Persia. The geo- attracted by his eloquence, assembled in Such was the success which attended the grapher has discovered that there existed at an ancient period in Europe, tribes from which the crowds around him, and displaying their preaching of this apostle of peace, that for Zigeunes or Sintes appear to have been descend- crosses and their banners, seemed equally a time a universal cessation of war, rewarded. It is unnecessary for him to extend his inqui- prepared to receive the precepts and obey ed his labours; and one of the treaties formries beyond that remarkable fact, or to explain the orders of the preacher. Among this ed under his auspices, still extant, and why these petty hordes remained so long unknown multitude, moved by his discourse, all those which contains scarcely any other condition in the midst of so many wanderers and savages during the Roman empire in the east. They might in Bologne, who had entertained any enmi- than that of mutual forgiveness of injuries, have called themselves Roma, from being the sub- ties, were seen coming to lay them at his has handed down to posterity, the name of John, of Vicencia, with an eclat as singular that, at one time, for want of a distinct object, to as it is enviable. FOR THE FRIEND. THE REVOLUTIONS OF EMPIRE. The following passage, from Plowden's History of Ireland, is fitted to excite melancholy reflections on the mutability of human grandeur. The Roman, Constantinopolitan, Irish and Spanish empires-where are they? The Roman-stripped of its territories and its terrors-the Constantinopolitan, struggling for its very existence-the Irish -with its neck under the foot of its enemy -the Spanish, to use the eloquent figure of Edmund Burke, "a whale stranded on the coast of Europe." The sceptre has passed to "regions Cæsar never knew"-to pass in turn from these and leave them like Assyria, and Egypt-a desolation and a waste. COMMUNICATION. which he might direct his studies, his mind became perfectly inactive, and reading was an unpleasant exertion to him. He accounted for it by supposing, that after the first years of youth are past, the mind requires more substantial food than mere reading; so that to call forth literary application, it is necessary to superadd the stimulus of an ardent wish to attain a particular object, to the attainment of which, literary exertion will conduce, and therefore pleases. He observed, that for the have distinguished themselves in their youthful want of such an object the generality of those who studies, fall into an idle desultory reading, which ends in nothing. most cases, see where it bottoms. Those who have got this faculty, one may say, have got the true key of books, and the clue to lead them through the maze of variety of opinions and authors, to truth and certainty. This young beginners should be entered in, and showed the use of, that they may profit by their reading. Those who are strangers to it will be apt to think it too great a clog in the way of men's studies; and they will suspect they shall make but small progress, if, in the books they read, they must stand to examine and unravel its original. every argument, and follow it step by step, up to "I answer, this is a good objection, and ought to weigh with those whose reading is designed for "Mr. Gibbon applies this remark to female read-much talk and little knowledge, and I have noers:Except some professed scholars' (he says, thing to say to it. But I am here inquiring into the in a letter to Lord Sheffield) 'I have often observ- conduct of the understanding in its progress toed that women in general read much more than wards knowledge; and to those who aim at that, I men; but for want of a plan, a method, a fixed may say, that he who goes steadily forward object, their reading is of little use to themselves in a course that points right, will sooner be or others.' Merely keeping a literary journal di- at his journey's end, than he that runs after rects the attention, and finds a succession of ob- every one he meets, though he gallop all day full jects for it: should it not therefore be recommend- speed. ed to studious ladies?" READING. From the above quotation to the following "There happened, about the year of our Lord 1418, a very notable transaction, which proved the the transition is natural. The counsel it conthen was, and ever had been holden by the learned minds of all our young readers. The error high estimation in which the kingdom of Ireland tains should be deeply impressed on the of Europe. At the council of Constance, the am- to which LocKE refers is very incident to bassadors from England were refused the rank the eagerness and presumptuousness of and precedency which they claimed over some others; they were not even allowed to rank or take youth, and has dissipated the promise held any place as the ambassadors of a nation: the ad- forth in early life by many a bright and tavocates for France insisted, that the English, hav-lented mind. ing been conquered by the Romans, and again subdued by the Saxons, who were tributaries to the German empire, and never governed by native "This is that which I think great readers are apt sovereigns, they should take place as a branch to be mistaken in. Those who have read of every only of the German empire, and not as a free na- thing, are thought to understand every thing too; tion; ‘for,' added they, ‘it is evident from Alber- but it is not always so. Reading furnishes the tus Magnus and Bartholomew Glanville, that the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinkworld is divided into three parts, Europe, Asia ing makes what we read ours. We are of the ruand Africa: Europe was divided into four empires,minating kind, and it is not enough to cram ourthe Roman, the Constantinopolitan, the Irish, and selves with a great load of collections; unless we the Spanish. The English advocates, admitting chew them over again, they will not give us the force of these allegations, claimed their pre- strength and nourishment. There are, indeed, in cedency and rank from Henry's being monarch of some writers, visible instances of deep thought, Ireland only, and it was accordingly granted." close and acute reasoning, and ideas well pursued. The light these would give would be of great use, if their readers would observe and imitate them: all the rest at best are but particulars fit to be turnThe following excellent observations are ed into knowledge; but that can be done only by contained in Butler's Reminiscences, and our own meditation, and examining the reach, are interesting not only on account of their force, and coherence of what is said; and then, as intrinsic worth, but for the high authority ideas, so far is it ours; without that, it is but so far as we apprehend and see the connexion of from which they proceed. To those of our much loose matter floating in our brain. The mefair friends who are disposed to profit by mory may be stored, but the judgment is little betthe recommendation of the Reminiscent, we ter, and the stock of knowledge not increased by may take the present occasion to say that being able to repeat what others have said, or prothere is no more invigorating exercise of duce the arguments we have found in them. Such the understanding than the practice of com- and the ostentation of it is at best but talking by a knowledge as this is but knowledge by hearsay, position. We mean of drawing up, clear rote, and very often upon weak and wrong princiand succinct statements in one's own lan-ples: for all that is to be found in books is not built guage, of an historical narrative, of a philo- upon true foundations, nor always rightly reduced sophical argument, of the relations of intel- from the principles it is pretended to be built on. ligent travellers, or of whatever may have such an examen as is requisite to discover that, every reader's mind is not forward to make; espebeen an object of study. It is a practice cially in those who have given themselves up to a which may be considered as essential to- party, and only hunt for what they can scrape togewards the formation of a clear masculine ther that may favour and support the tenets of it. understanding of fixed principles in mo- Such men wilfully exclude themselves from truth, rals and philosophy-of an easy and correct mode of expression, It may be found to be irksome in the beginning; yet it will soon become not only pleasant in itself, and in high degree useful in the further pursuit of knowledge-but will furnish some of the most delightful recollections of the advances which the mind has made from time to time, in knowledge, wisdom, and virtue. a "Mr. Burke once mentioned to the Reminiscent, Others of more indifferency often want attention and from all true benefit to be received by reading. and industry. The mind is backward in itself to be at the pains to trace every argument to its original, and to see upon what basis it stands, and how firmly; but yet it is this that gives so much the advantage to one man more than another in reading. to this, at first, uneasy task; use and exercise will The mind should, by severe rules, be tied down give it facility; so that those who are accustomed to it, readily, as it were with one cast of the eye, take a view of the argument, and presently, in "To which let me add, that this way of thinking on and profiting by what we read, will be a clog and rub to any one only in the beginning; when interruption in the course of our reading. The custom and exercise have made it familiar, it will be despatched, in most occasions, without resting or motions and views of a mind exercised that way are wonderfully quick; and a man used to such sort of reflections sees as much at one glimpse, as would require a long discourse to lay before another, and make out in an entire and gradual deduction. Besides that when the first difficulties are over, the delight and sensible advantage it brings, mightily encourage and enliven the mind in reading, which, without this, is very improperly called study." There is now gone over to the country of my nativity, (alluding to Dr. Priestly,) one, who with the New Testament in his hands, is laying the axe, by his arguments, as much as is in his power to the very root of the christian religion. This is my faith that he is endeavouring to destroy the foundation whereon it is built, and yet pretending to bring his doctrines from scripture. But what will not sophistry do? What has it not done? Oh! I trust neither this man, learned and wise the evils it has produced in the world. But as he may be in the world's estimation, nor any other, will ever be able to sap that foundation which God hath laid in Zion; nor to rob you or my own soul, of that glorious tion and mediation of our dear Lord and hope, and blessed consolation in the redempSaviour, Jesus Christ. God forbid it should, and I trust it will not. The Lord will, by his own light and power, dispel every cloud and darkness that shall arise to cast up a mist before the eyes of the professors of christianity. blacks, on this continent. At the time when he visited America, most of the settlements of Friends were newly formed and located in the midst of Indian tribes. George Fox appears to have been ardently desirous that his brethren might not only give them proper instruction in the great doctrines of the christian religion, but that in their intercourse with the natives, they might practically enforce the sacred truths which they inculcated, and we believe none of the early settlers pursued a course of conduct toward them, more uniformly mild, pacific and equitable, than the Society of Friends. nia." "And if sometimes you should have some meetings with the Indian kings and their councils, to let them know the principles of Truth; so that they may know the way of salvation, and the nature of true christianity, and how that Christ hath died for them, who tasted death for every man, (and so the gospel of salvation must be preached to every creature under heaven,) and how that Christ hath enlightened them, who enlightens all that come into the world. And God hath poured out his spirit upon all flesh, and so the Indians must receive God's spirit; for the grace of God which brings salvation, hath appeared unto all men.'And so let them know, that they have a day of salvation, grace and favour of God offered unto them; if they will receive it, it will be their bless ing." 1687. E. T. He had witnessed, experimentally, the blessed effects of the gospel of Christ-he knew what it was to feel those rich consolations which gladden the soul of the awakened and converted sinner, when permitted to feel the evidence, that his iniquities are washed away in the atoning blood of the meek Mr. Burke's "Essay on the Sublime and Beautiand lowly and crucified Lamb. He was ful," raised him in the world, and introduced him to the acquaintance of several persons distinguish convinced by his own experience, that no ed by rank or talents. That his conversation was part of the great plan of christian redemp-eminently interesting, entertaining and instructive, tion, was more eminently calculated to is universally admitted. It was very discursive: if awaken humble gratitude and sincere love to the person with whom he conversed, had full leiGod, than the precious truth, "that while sure to listen, and only wished for general informawe were yet sinners, and without strength, in tion, noting, can be conceived more delightful: it abounded with eloquence, elegance, learning, nodue time Christ died for the ungodly, and velty and pleasantry: it was the basket of Pomona, that being now justified by his precious blood, full of every choice and every common fruit. But, much more shall we be saved from wrath if a person wished for information upon any partithrough him." He, therefore, earnestly cular point, and his time for listening was limited, Mr. Burke's eloquent rambles were sometimes enjoined it on his American brethren, as a very provoking. Sir Philip Francis once waited duty which they owed to these poor benight- upon him, by appointment, to read over to him ed children of the wilds, to preach unto some papers respecting Mr. Hastings' delinquenthem Christ Jesus, and him crucified, as cies. He called on Mr. Burke, in his way to the their Redeemer and Saviour. The following house of a friend, with whom he was engaged to extracts from his Epistles, will confirm our dine. He found him in his garden, holding a grassassertions, and evince the benevolent and catholic temper of his mind, viz: "For Friends in the ministry, scattered abroad in Virginia, Maryland, New England, Barbadoes, and other plantations beyond sea."-"And some of you should take some of the eminent, true, good, and upright Friends, and go and discourse with some of the heathen kings, desiring them to gather their council and people together, that you may declare God's everlasting truth, and his everlasting way of life and salvation to them, knowing that hopper: "What a beautiful animal is this!" said Mr. Burke: "observe its structure; its legs, its wings, its eyes." "How can you," said Sir Philip, "lose your time in admiring such an animal, when you have so many objects of moment to attend to?" "Yet Socrates," said Mr. Burke, "according to the much less animal; he actually measured the proexhibition of him in Aristophanes, attended to a it passed portion which its size bore to the space does not exceed its length: let us see. over in its skip. I think the skip of a grasshopper "My dear friend," said Sir Philip, "I am in a great hurry; let us walk in, and let me read my papers to you." Into the house they walked; Sir Philip began to read, and Mr. Burke appeared to listen. At length, Sir Philip having misplaced a paper, a pause en"To Friends in Barbadoes." "And do not neglect your family meetings amongists are now agreed, that locusta, not cicada, is sued. "I think," said Mr. Burke, "that naturalyour whites and negroes, but do your diligence the Latin word for grasshopper. What's your and daty to God and them; which you will not neglect if you keep in the faith of Abraham, and of opinion, Sir Philip?" "My opinion," answered Sir Philip, packing up his papers, and preparing the blessed Seed which inheriteth the crown. And to move off, "is, that till the grasshopper is out of be at peace among yourselves, that you may show that you are in Christ, the Prince of peace; and your head, it will be idle to talk to you of the conthat doth show, that you are the disciples of Christ, and learners and followers of Him, So possess Him who is life eternal.-Amen." 1672. Christ is the promise of God to them, a covenant of light to the Gentiles, who is also the new covenant to the Jews," &c. 1667. "To Friends in America, concerning their negroes and Indians." "And also, you must preach the grace of God, to all blacks and Indians, which grace brings salvation, that hath appeared unto all men, to teach and instruct them to live godly, righteously and soberly, which grace of God is sufficient to teach and establish all true Christians, that they may appear before the throne of grace." "And also you must instruct and teach your Indians and negroes, and all others, how that Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man, and gave himself a ransom for all men, to be testified in due time, and is the propitiation, not for the sins of christians only, but for the sins of the whole world, and how that He doth enlighten every man that cerns of India."-Butler's Reminiscenses. FOR THE FRIEND. From the accounts of the Guardians of the The poor laws of Pennsylvania, as applied to Philadelphia, are perhaps the very worst in the Union. They are administered by a body of mere than 60 mep, that generally changes its majorities and its measures, every six months, and whose duties are so irksome, that it is difficult to find suitable persons willing to remain in the office long enough to become master of its details, A committee, appointed by the Overseers last summer to visit the principal towns on the seaboard of the middle and northern states, for the purpose of examining their mode of relieving the poor-stated on their return, that they were compelled "to admit the mortifying fact, that every system they have examined, is superior to our own." The committee further state, "that of all modes of providing for the poor, the most wasteful, the most expensive, and the most injurious to their morals, and destructive of their industrious habits, is that of supply in their own families." This able and interesting report, attracted the public attention so strongly, that a meeting of the citizens was called soon after its publication to consider the subject. That meeting appointed a committee to examine it in all its details, and report a digested plan for relieving the poor. I am glad in being able to state, that this committee has completed its labours, and that a project of a law, free from the gross imperfections of the present one, and striking at the very root of many existing evils, will be submitted to the legislature, early in the ensuing winter. The poor tax for 1827, was assessed as follows: At the commencement of the year, there was in the treasury, $33,721.96, the amount medical students attending the hospital pracreceived from taxes, was $87,490.38, from tice in the alms house, $3,036.35; from the sale of manufactures, $1,137.97, from sundry fees, pay-patients, &c. $7,013.10; payments on account of the board of illegiti mate children, and married women deserted by their husbands, $6,663.22, and various other sources, $5,644.76. Orders were drawn in favour of the managers of the alms house, for $72,035.21, and in favour of the out-door guardians, for $74,874.21; making the whole expenditure, $146,910.42, and leaving a balance in the treasury, of $4,228.42. The expenses actually incurred within the year, for the support of the alms house, amounted to $48,794.92, being for the supof 793 cents each, per week.* port of an average of 1056 paupers, at a cost the commencement of the year, was 1027. The number of paupers in the house at whom 2477 were from the city, 575 from During the year, 4860 were admitted, of the Northern Liberties, and 781 from Southwark. The number discharged, eloped and at the date of the report, 930 paupers. The deceased, was 3930, leaving in the house • The cost of maintaining the poor in the alms house, in 1826, was 72 cents per week. alms house contained the greatest number of poor in the 1st month, when the average of its inmates was 1378, viz. 614 men, 619 women, and 145 children. A considerable number of the paupers are employed in manufacturing the coarse clothes worn in the house, and in gardening, and other occupations. The amount of goods manufactured last year, is reported to have been $6,851.50, and the nett profits, 82,104.91, including the labour of the paupers employed, whose support is not charged. In consequence of this unchristian treat- key, refused to open it for them-they were In Bucks county, the same hostile feelings 8807.28 was expended in bread and wood given publicly to the poor, agreeably to the wills of several humane persons, who have left funds in the hands of the guardians for that purpose. The expences of the medical department of the alms house, were 88,904.81, and for medicines and physicians salaries for out-door poor, $4,050.95. The amount paid during the year, in salaries, to the stewart, matron, physicians, nurses, assistants, agents, &c. of this cumbersome machine, amounted nearly to $10,000. Such are the enormous expenses under the Poor System of Philadelphia-a system which costs the city, in proportion to its population, nearly one half more than the tax paid for the same purpose in Boston, nearly double that levied in New York, and nearly three times the amount paid in Baltimore. S. The events which occurred at Abington, were only the prelude to scenes of equal or greater oppression. The resolution to expel Friends from their meeting houses, and take exclusive possession of them, appeared now to be fully come to, and the followers of E. H. in different parts of the country, proceeded to act upon it. Three of the monthly meetings of Abington Quarter, were denied the use of their meeting houses in the 8th month, viz. Gwynned, Horsham, and Byberry; and in the 9th month, Abington was added to the number. The scenes which have repeatedly occurred at Darby, and the unkind treatment which the women Friends of that place have several times received, are of a painful character, and certainly ought to excite shame in all those who engaged in them-several of whom are leading characters among the new sect. The women Friends attempted to hold their Monthly Meeting, after the separatists had gone through with the business of theirs. In their peaceable and quiet endeavours to accomplish this object, they not only experienced interruption from their own sex; but the men, forgetting that tenderness and respect which, under all circumstances, is due to the female character, rudely entered their apartment, and in an arbitrary and angry manner, ordered them to leave the houseand threatened them with calling in the civil authority. When they attempted to speak in their own defence, and to vindicate their just rights, some peremptorily and sternly commanded them to be quiet, and "hold their tongues," while others raised a The Monthly Meeting of Middletown, loud clamour and outcry, purposely to drown concluded to meet at the usual time, in the their voices and several were assailed by 10th month, at Bristol, leaving the house at unkind and harsh epithets. The partitions Middletown, to the occupancy of the sepa- separating the men's and women's apartratists. At the appointed time, they assem-ments, were thrown open with great viobled at the meeting house, and found it lence, and a large number of men encoulocked against them. So careful had the fol-raged to enter the women's room, who were lowers of E. H. been that Friends should obliged to endure the jeers and the taunts of not find a meeting place on the premises, the unfeeling spectators. The principal acthat a school kept on the property of the tors in these scenes, were men of nature Society, had been dismissed, and the house years; several of them holding the high and locked up, lest they should use it as a meet- responsible station of Elders in the new Soing room. In this dilemma, the inhabitants ciety; while the objects of their rude attack of Bristol, evinced a spirit at once christian were a few weak and defenceless women, and brotherly-the houses of two religious some of them bending under a load of years societies, were promptly and generously of- and infirmity, who were peaceably endeafered for the accommodation of the Friends, vouring to discharge what they believed to who had assembled but a neighbouring be a religious duty, by quietly setting togedwelling house having been concluded upon ther to hold their Monthly Meeting. for holding the meeting, the kind offer was declined, though not without feelings of sincere gratitude to those who had given so gratifying a proof of their sympathy with Friends, under the trying circumstances in which they were placed. At Solebury, the adherents of E. H. evinced a disposition not only to debar Friends from the use of the house for the accommodation of the Monthly Meeting, but also to coerce them into a compliance with their views. Without any apparent reason, they changed the day of holding the mid week meeting, and directed the person who had charge of the house, not to open it at the usual time. Thus circumstanced, Friends must either submit to their authority and jurisdiction, or hold their meeting at some other place. They concluded, however, to make one trial to obtain the use of the house, and accordingly went there on the established day of the meeting. The house was locked, and the person who kept the Some of the Elders we allude to, not only joined themselves in these scences of violence, but endeavoured to incite the youth to similar acts of incivility; one of whom. acknowledged that they would not have engaged in them, if they had not been encouraged by their older Friends. The women were finally driven from the meeting house, and obliged to resort to the dwelling of a Friend in the neighbourhood, where they were permitted to hold their meeting in safety. It is really humiliating and painful to us to have occasion to recur to such transactions-the reflections which they necessarily excite on the frailty of human nature, are at once humbling and mortifying. We were glad to find, however, that some of the more moderate adherents to the new sect, expressed their entire disapprobation of such unchristian conduct, and indignantly disclaimed all participation in it. (To be continued.) |